For the last eight years, Sean has hated his job. I wish I could tell you I was exaggerating about the "eight years" part, but I'm really not. He's been very good at it, of course, and has garnered all sorts of accolades and promotions, but he's hated almost every second of it. I suppose that's just what happens when you're passionate about design and photography, and you end up working in nuclear power.

You know how sometimes something seems so far away---too far away, even, to start thinking about---and then suddenly, BAM, it's here? Sean started counting down the days until he could leave this job, oooh, years ago. And today is finally the day. I've had a bottle of champagne sitting in the fridge for the last week in anticipation; he's had a full-blown countdown---complete with bar graphs, pie charts, and possibly a few Venn diagrams---in his head since about 2002.

So tonight there will be celebrating and tapas and incredulous head-shaking and me saying "I can't BELIEVE this is finally happening!" hundreds and hundreds of times. Tomorrow, there will be unemployment and possibly a feeling of slight remorse, but the feeling will probably have more to do with the second bottle of champagne than whether or not The Right Thing was done by leaving.

Because look at his website! The boy is a genius! All the time he was working at the job of evil, he was also doing a ton of freelance photography and web design on the side. Which, you know, did not make for quite as much Us Time as I would have liked, but certainly gave him the goods to build up a great portfolio in time for the impending career change. Also, I got a website out of it!

(Would you like to get a website out of it? Because, seriously, I have no qualms about pimping him out. He does good work! You can just give him your favorite pink and brown shoe and tell him that's what you'd like your website to look like, and THAT'S WHAT YOUR WEBSITE WILL LOOK LIKE. Also you can say, "hey, Sean, today I like birds; can you make my header have some birds on it?" and he will do it. And he will know exactly what kind of birds you wanted, and that you wanted them flying, and that you didn't want, you know, PUFFINS or HAWKS or anything. Also, he is cheap. And cute. And while you shouldn't let that influence your decision, I would like you to know that hiring cute people to do things for you certainly doesn't hurt. Even if you can't see them being cute while they're doing it. Though maybe if you had a webcam, you could! But actually, it might start getting a little weird if you were watching my boyfriend on a webcam while he designed your website, so let's forget that part. Plus, I might be in the background doing something embarassing. Anyway, he does design nice websites. And take good pictures. And also he pretty much always opens the car door for girls, but I guess that's by the by.)

So anyway, I'm terribly relieved that the job of evil is finally over, and that he can really start doing what he likes doing best. He's already got a couple of freelance projects lined up, and he just shot a travel guide for Moon Handbooks, which comes out in April. The cover is so fabulous that I am already planning my breezy yet elusive smile for when I am stopped in the street and asked if I'm the girlfriend of that brilliant photographer. (Also, I am TOTALLY IN THE BOOK, I am not kidding! There is a picture of me crossing the street somewhere, and the focal point is supposed to be the church behind me, and I am like one sixteenth of an inch tall, but still, I am there! I am crossing! I am in a book! This is the closest I will ever come to being published, I think!)

Whatever happens---and trust me, it's not like we don't have plans; in fact, we have SUPER PLANS!---I'm just glad that Sean won't be doing a job anymore that made him grumpy and frustrated and miserable. I'm so happy he's going to be happy.

4. You know how I have that little reading problem, with the transposition of the words and all? Well, when I read "he pretty much always opens the car door for girls," I thought it said "he pretty much always has an open door for call girls." I kid you not. I was really wondering about that, until I gave the phrase another looksy.

Hip Hip Hooray For Sean! It's such a relief when you no longer feel stifled by what it is you do to make a living! Way to go! The universe can finally give you what you have dreamed....you had to take the first step to show that you really wanted it! Way to go!

Also, you two are too adorable for words....

Have a great night celebrating!

5

Nothing But BonfiresFeb 23, 2006

Lynn, your misreadings of my sentences are a million times funnier than my sentences themselves. I think "He Pretty Much Always Has An Open Door For Call Girls" is going to be the title of my next post. Or, like, my band if I should ever form one.

The only thing I can think of that's worse than having a job you hate is having a chronic disease. And just about nothing is as great as doing something you love every day. Congratulations to you Sean (and Holly, because you'll both be so much happier).

This will change your life, I promise. And in a totally wonderful good way. I speak from experience.

I wish I could elaborate further, but I must now sequester myself in a conference room with our new Chinese intern and help her learn better English. And in case you were wondering, nope, definitely not in my job description.

Wow, just spent about 20 minutes on Sean's site - looking at everything. And I have a very short attention span for websites believe me. Amazing photos ('things' is my fave category) and blimey what a totally intimidating list of skill sets. Not exactly the Homer Simpson of the Nuclear world is he?

Anyway, I have absolutely no doubt that Sean will be a huge success....I have tucked his name in the back of my head for if I ever want a website designed. I shall submit a small white handkerchief as his inspiration.

is it me or does that pic make you look vaguely like keira knightley? maybe it's just the lips and the english thing?

hooray for sean! i kinda do want a site modelled after a shoe! but also kinda afraid to ask rates, since he seems all scary professional... is there a discount for when you don't actually get to watch him build it? in the cute glasses?

My husband was so desperate to get out of his Job-of-Death that he took parental leave when our second baby was born. Six months into his parental leave he was offered -OUT OF THE BLUE- his total dream job. He is now a MUCH HAPPIER person. Which means I, too, am a MUCH HAPPIER person. So it works out very well all around.

What a lark, what a plunge! Good for Sean! And good for you being so supportive. Believe you me, it makes a world of difference when you want to do something that is a little scary, a little risky, a little lemming off the cliff and there is someone telling you it's ok to jump.

Wow, did that metaphor NOT work out exactly as I'd hoped, but work with me here folks. Happy you two are so happy!

Oh, congratulations! This is awesome. I have the opposite problem. I don't hate my job and I get to blog in between calls so I decide not to apply for other positions because I would lose out on blogging. Some people think that makes me a blog addict. But hey, yours is one of the ones I'm obsessed with (in a purely non stalking way) so how can anyone blame me?

That's huge. By no means do I minimize the satisfaction (or frustration) that comes along with a job that we females love (or hate), but it's somehow DIFFERENT for men. Likewise, my husband is truly happy at work for the first time in YEARS, and that makes life happier for all of us.